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5 Things You Can Do to Make Your Life Easier for Teaching English in Taiwan - TEFL Blog
Christian Davey
Destinations Alumni Experiences
Taiwan is a wonderful starting point to begin your teaching profession as the island has a variety of job prospects, plentiful incomes, and companies are usually happy to employ you, even if you have limited teaching experience.
1. Find a private landlord, avoid an agency
2. Find a job in the same proximity as your place.
3. Get your scooter license.
4. Make friends with locals.
5. Join social media groups/like social media pages
Are you ready to teach English in Taiwan?
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Nonetheless, living abroad comes with its challenges, and if you know how to overcome them, your life will be smoother.
Here are 5 top tips, in no particular order, to make your life... [Read more]
3 Things That Motivate Students and How You Can Apply Them To Your Teaching - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
As with any subject, a student's motivation can affect their interest in the subject matter. English is no different, in fact, I believe that motivation is the key difference in students who continue to progress and improve in English and those who don't and discontinue English in their future. Now, this is not to say that all students with low motivation do not pick up any English through their learning, nor does it mean that a student with motivation will find English learning to be easy. However, I believe that motivation plays a key role in ensuring that a student remains engaged with the English language and eventually progresses into fluency. I wouldd like to present ideas that can add to student's motivation and improve their English learning... [Read more]
The Influence of Teaching Skills on the Progress of Your Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Every profession in this world needs skills to be able to execute the job very well. A doctor, nurse, carpenter and so on need all the necessary skills to be able to deliver their services to their customers. The same thing applies to all teachers. For a teacher to create a very positive learning environment, he or she should be skilled at communication, classroom management, appropriate disciplined techniques and so on. There are many skills that a good teacher should have but will concentrate on a few of them.
Communication skills
Patience
Lesson Planning and Flexibility
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate GRACE D. Please note that this blog post might... [Read more]
7 Games to Cheer On Your ESL Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Defining games for kids can open up a broad prospect but in this topic, we are going to specifically talk about the various games that kids can not only enjoy but can incorporate in their learning curriculum.
1. Monopoly
2. Pictionary
3. Taboo
4. Tongue twisters
5. Bingo
6. Charades
7. Hangman
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Playing games in the classroom helps kids to feel more relaxed and friendly with the teachers.
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sonal L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Learning becomes more of a fun activity for them rather than the same boring schedule which makes them lethargic and least interested in studying.... [Read more]
Do you offer any discounts on TEFL courses? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Yes, discounts on TEFL courses are commonly offered by many providers. These discounts can help make the course more affordable for students. Here is some further information on discounts for TEFL courses:
Yes, there are often special promotions or deals available for enrolling in TEFL courses. These promotions can vary depending on the course provider, time of year, or specific offers they are running. Here are some common types of promotions you might encounter when enrolling in a TEFL course: Discounts: Course providers may offer discounts on their TEFL courses, such as early bird discounts for those who enroll in advance, group discounts for enrolling with friends or colleagues, or seasonal discounts during holidays or special events. Bundle deals: Some course providers offer bundle... [Read more]
How do you motivate TEFL students? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
To motivate TEFL students, understanding their age group and unique challenges is crucial. Young learners often respond with enthusiasm to fun activities, while adults are typically self-motivated, attending classes with clear objectives. However, teenagers present a distinct challenge. Due to heightened self-awareness, they might hesitate to participate out of fear of mistakes or peer judgment. To enhance motivation in teens, implement strategies that boost their confidence, incorporate relatable content, and create a supportive classroom environment that encourages participation and reduces fear of errors.
Use plenty of pop culture
Use a little competition
Play to their strengths
Use pen pals to encourage writing skills
Only use age appropriate reading material
Use popular songs for... [Read more]
Are you set on one type of teaching role or are you open to different types of employment? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Yes, TEFL/TESOL certification opens up opportunities for various types of teaching roles. With a TEFL/TESOL certification, you are not limited to a specific type of teaching job; rather, you have the flexibility to explore a range of employment options in the field of English language teaching. Here are some examples of different teaching roles you can pursue with a TEFL/TESOL certification:
Being open to different types of teaching roles can offer several advantages:
Being set on one specific teaching role can limit career opportunities and professional growth in the field of education. While specializing in one area can be beneficial in some ways, such as developing expertise in that particular field, it also has its drawbacks:
Being open to different types of employment opportunities... [Read more]
How do you teach English one-to-one? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Before delving into the specifics of conducting one-to-one lessons, we need to be mindful of certain preliminary steps essential for effective lesson planning.
Initially, you must assess your student's English proficiency level. This is usually achieved through a level test. The level test typically begins with a verbal conversation to gauge the general competency level of the student. English proficiency is often categorized on a five-point scale:
A basic level test could involve asking progressively complex questions to pinpoint the level at which the student begins to struggle.
Once the level test is completed, the next step is a needs analysis. This process aims to ascertain why the student is learning English, as needs will vary among learners. Younger students might seek to enhance... [Read more]
5 Steps to Work on Your ESL Teaching Career - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
When I started teaching English, I've always experienced imposter syndrome because my major was Linguistics. I had no idea about teaching itself, although I knew a lot about how the language works.
Step 1: TEFL Course
Step 2: Further Education with MOOCs
Step 3: Educational Conferences
Step 4: Teaching Community
Step 5: Language Tests
Are you ready to get your ESL teaching career on a new level? Take a TEFL course today!
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To change this situation, I've started working on my teaching skills to build a successful ESL teaching career.
In this blog post, I want to share five ways to start ESL teaching career development that helped begin... [Read more]
How do you deal with misbehaving TEFL students? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Addressing disruptive behavior in an TEFL classroom can be challenging, but it is important to know how to manage it to ensure smooth classroom operations. While teaching adult learners might result in fewer concerns aside from minor punctuality issues, young learner classrooms usually come with a greater potential for disruption. To prevent small issues from becoming significant problems, teachers need to acquire skills and experiences to confidently manage classroom behavior.
Different types of bad behavior
Dealing with bad behavior
Rewarding good behavior
Managing behavior
Different teachers might have varying perceptions of what constitutes disruptive behavior. However, there are universal issues that cause noticeable disruption in the classroom and should be addressed for optimal... [Read more]
How do You Build a Successful Teaching Career? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
What defines teachers' success? There is no one thing teachers can do to be successful. Success is not defined by just one aspect. Students, the learning experience, classroom environment, the relationship between teachers and their students, assessments, and outcomes can all define the success of teachers and their teaching career. If the students have learned and can apply the lessons they have learned in class to their career, it means teachers have been effective and efficient in teaching what they wanted their students to learn.
Qualification
Approach to Own Behavior
Classroom Environment
Getting Experienced
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What is a Beginner EFL Student and How Do You Teach Them? - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Teaching Ideas
When you decide to take a TEFL certification course with the intention of teaching English abroad, in your home country, or online, it is difficult to know who you will actually end up teaching. Once you have finished your training you could end up teaching primary aged children, teenagers, or adults. They could be from any country worldwide and they could be at any level of English language from beginner to advanced level. In many ways it is a bit of a lottery, so you should ensure you are ready to deal with all types of environments. After a while most teachers develop a preference for the type of student they prefer to teach, however, the beginner EFL student is often the most feared.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
Why is a... [Read more]
5 Ideas on How to Implement Stories into Your ESL Teaching - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Stories provide a natural and relevant context for the exposure to English language and storytelling built on the children's innate capacity for fantasy and imaginative play, making it an essential aspect to be integrated into language lessons. Beyond just language skills, students are also able to acquire critical thinking skills such as predicting, hypothesizing, categorizing, sequencing, and inferring meaning through various storytelling activities. Stories are also used to enhance children's concentration skills and develop moral and emotional intelligence by teaching students to empathize with the characters in the story. Storytelling can be extended to include activities for children to retell, act out, and create their own stories. Therefore... [Read more]
The Best Apps to Have on Your Phone While Teaching English Abroad - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
TEFL Information
In recent years, more and more classrooms have become more technologically advanced and more and more teachers are using digital teaching materials. However, you don't always need to hand out tablets to your students or have a fancy digital whiteboard to take advantage of recent advances in digital teaching materials. Here are some great apps to have on your phone while teaching English abroad that you can use to enhance your lessons and really engage your students in the classroom.
Apps for Inside the Classroom
Educreations
Kahoot
Epic! Unlimited Books for Kids
Instructables
Apps for Outside the Classroom
Additio
Slack
Teacher's Assistant Pro
Remind
Classtree
Edmodo
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Are you ready to teach English abroad?
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How Teaching Slang Can Benefit Your ESL Students - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
Stepping onto my flight from Miami to Santiago, Chile, I was confident in my Spanish skills. After all, I had taken nearly seven years of Spanish classes in middle and high school. However, when I landed I found, not only did I not understand 80% of what my host family said to me, they couldn't understand me either.
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"Learning slang words is immensely helpful."
"I was more motivated to retain these pieces of vocabulary and try them out in an attempt to sound more natural."
"Learning slang can also open up the conversation for cultural exchange."
"There are many activities that could be used to teach slang words."
Are you ready to teach English slang?
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How do you get a job teaching English online? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
To get a job teaching English online, you typically need to follow these steps:
To teach English online, you typically need the following qualifications:
You can find opportunities to teach English online on various platforms and websites that specialize in online English language teaching. Here are some common places where you can find online English teaching opportunities:
[Read more]
The Correct Order of Adjectives in English - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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When you use more than one adjective, you have to put them in the right order or it will sound very strange. Do you say, "I want a big black cat" or "I want a black big cat?" Let's take a look at infographic below.
So, do you say, "I want a big black cat" or "I want a black big cat?"
The first one is correct.
Why?
If "big" is size and "black" is color, then it should come first because size is number (2) and color is number (5) on the infographic above.
You can use this chart for all orders of adjectives. A quick and easy way is to always place the adjective that is easy to change first. Number 1 (Opinion) can be changed more easily than number 6 (Origin: where something is from). It is easy for me to change... [Read more]
6 Teaching Skills to Support Your Students Learning Process - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
It's my dream to be a teacher since I was a little girl. It's so lucky, I became an English teacher after I graduated from school. I like my job, I always prepared a lot before my class, such as materials, flashcards, teaching plan and so on. Because I hope my students will enjoy my class and gain knowledge through my class.
1. Attitude
2. Sense of Humor
3. Lesson Structure
4. Teaching Approach
5. Games and Activities
6. Encouragement
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I heard that a good teacher must be a good actor. I really impressed by this sentence, it always reminds me, no matter how tired you are and how sad you are, once you enter in the classroom, you must be full of energetic and keep a... [Read more]
What You Need To Know When Teaching Beginner Students - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
From the 60-year-old successful businessman who has never studied English to the third grader who is learning it for the first time in a school setting, each student has their own motivation and background. Their unique experiences will dictate what they bring to the table and be a factor in their success or difficulty in learning English. Understanding what brought the learners to the classroom, will help a teacher tailor the lessons to be most beneficial to her students. This includes understanding their culture to a certain extent, specifically as it relates to faux pas or misunderstandings that could arise in the classroom setting.
Defining the Difficulties
Encouraging Participation
You Might Be The Only Source Of Authentic English
Are you ready to... [Read more]
Group Teaching or One-to-One: What Will You Choose? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information
Teaching a group or having private lessons can be as beneficial as challenging. Let's try to understand which kind of teaching is more suitable for us.
Advantages of Group Teaching
Disadvantages of Group Teaching
Pros to Teach One-to-One
Cons to Teach One-on-One
Are You Ready to Teach ESL Students?
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This post was written by our ITTT graduate Catalina R.
Teaching large classes has many advantages. A large class offers a greater variety of activities. The teacher can have students work alone, in pairs, in groups or as a class. This allows the focus to be placed on the students instead of the teacher. Pair or group work helps motivate the students because they share their doubts and ideas in a safe environment... [Read more]
Teaching Multiple Tenses: Should You Do It and If So Which Ones? - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Teaching multiple tenses might sound frightening as teaching a single tense can sometimes be a challenge on its own. However, while it might seem difficult the first time you try it, it isn't as daunting as you would think. When teaching more than one tense at a time there are two main factors to consider: which tenses to teach together and what language level you are teaching.
Simple Rules to Consider When Teaching Tenses
Future Tense Forms
Perfect Continuous Tenses
Other Tense Options
Are you ready to teach English grammar abroad?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ferenc M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.... [Read more]
Should You Teach One-to-One or Student Groups? - An ESL Teacher Explains the Difference - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
TEFL Information
I founded an English training center in China in 2017 and have been teaching a wide variety of English classes since then. I teach both one-to-one and groups, and I find them to be very different.
Do you prefer small groups or bigger classes?
Do you like pair projects or independent student work?
Do you have the patience to keep a large student group in line?
Advantages of a one-to-one teaching environment
Advantages of a larger student group
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Which type of class suits you best?
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Prospective TEFL teachers may want to consider: which kind of class fits you best?
Below I would like to compare my experiences in teaching and managing these two types of class, and also give some suggestions for prospective TEFL... [Read more]
Who Your Students will be when Teaching English in Turkey - TEFL Blog
Najwa Sabih
Destinations Alumni Experiences
Teaching English in Turkey can be challenging as this language is not very common here. Turkish people are very loyal to their country and language, so they consider it unimportant to learn a new language. Moreover, in their opinion, foreigners must learn Turkish to communicate with them and never the opposite. Thus, if your target population to teach the English language is Turkish, your chance of finding a job is very low. However, it is well known that Turkey, especially Istanbul, Ankara, and Kutahya, are full of foreigners willing to learn the English language in Turkey for many reasons that we will discuss later in this article.
Language Schools
International Schools
Turkish People:
Private courses:
Are you ready to teach English in... [Read more]
7 Steps to Paying Off Your Student Loans While Teaching English Abroad - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Budget and Salary
Have you just graduated or are about to graduate college and face a massive amount of student loans? You are not on your own. In the United States alone, the national student debt totals over $1.4 trillion this year. This number means that the average graduate in the US owes $17,126 and this number is rising year after year. When you are this much in debt, you can't possibly think about moving abroad - or can you?
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Step 1: Get a TEFL Certificate
Step 2: Find a Teaching Position Abroad
Step 3: Start Your Adventure and Make a Budget Plan
Step 4: Stick to Your Budget... But Also Have Fun!
Step 5: Send Money Back Home
Step 6: Collect Bonuses and Severance
Step 7: Say Goodbye to Student Debt
Are you ready to teach English abroad?... [Read more]
How to Adjust Your Teaching Style to Multilingual and Monolingual Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Multilingual classes are most commonly found in English speaking countries where students of diverse nationalities live. For example, some schools in the U.S require students of a different nationality to take ESL classes. Multilingual classes can be a great advantage for students and teachers alike because the students' only means of communicating with each other is likely through the English language.
Multilingual Learners' Experience
Anticipated Problems
Ways to Solve Problems
Monolingual Learners' Experience
Anticipated Problems
Ways to Solve Problems
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Emely M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily... [Read more]
How to Adjust Your Teaching to the Needs of the Beginner Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
As the term beginner students refers to the level of students knowledge, I have decided to focus on beginner level in different age groups. Therefore, this essay will be divided into teaching beginner young students and beginner adults. My definition of a beginner student is the following: regardless of age, this is a learner with very little or no previous knowledge of the English language. However, there are certain things we should aim to know about every age group:
Teaching beginner young students
Group 1 – beginners ages 5-9
Group 2 – beginners ages 9-13
Teaching adult beginner learners
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Aleksandra... [Read more]
10 Tips to Help Your Students Follow Directions When Teaching English Abroad - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Teaching Ideas
Giving directions as a teacher to non-native English speakers in an EFL classroom often requires a set of techniques to ensure the students truly understand the directions and can follow them how you want them to. The following 10 tips to help your students follow directions when teaching English abroad work for students of all ages and levels but are especially useful for English learners of young ages or low levels.
1. Ask for Their Attention
2. Minimize Distractions
3. Speak Quietly
4. Break Down Instructions
5. Number Your Directions
6. Be Precise
7. Wait Before Repeating
8. Don't Ask "Do You Understand?"
9. Rephrase Questions
10. Use Visual Reminders
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Are you ready to teach English abroad?
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Collaborating with ITTT to begin your ESL teaching career on the right foot - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
Embarking on a career in teaching English as a second language (ESL) opens up a world of opportunities for both personal and professional growth. By partnering with International TEFL and TESOL Training (ITTT), you are taking a significant step towards ensuring that your journey into the ESL field is a successful and rewarding one. With ITTT's comprehensive training programs, expert guidance, and global recognition, you can confidently start your ESL teaching career on the right foot.
In this article, we will explore the various benefits of choosing ITTT as your partner in pursuing a career in ESL teaching. From the flexibility of online courses to the practical insights gained through in-person training, ITTT offers a range of options to suit your learning style and career goals. We will... [Read more]
What You Need to Know About Japanese Students' Challenges Before Teaching in Japan - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Japan is a country with a long history, deep tradition, and vibrant culture. Within this culture sits the Japanese language. At first, being a spoken language and then adopting the Chinese Writing System, Japanese has grown and changed into what it is today. If you look at all languages, most Western languages originate from a set family, such as Romance Languages (which became today's Spanish, French, Italian, etc). But Japanese (as most Asian languages) was formed from entirely different roots. These fundamental differences mean that the method of learning these languages has a lot to do with memorization and repetitive practice of the Chinese symbols and the words they represent. Which means it is difficult to find any common ground between it and... [Read more]
Ways to Keep ESL Students Engaged After the Lesson - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
TEFL Information Teaching Ideas
Hello everybody, it's Liza here and I'm super happy to welcome you to today's ITTT live session. I hope that you have some spare time to tune in and talk about another exciting teaching topic. If you can see and hear me clearly, please let me know via the chatbox. I'm super excited not only because of this live session but also because of the weather, it is super warm here today. My hometown is blooming, and it feels so nice. Let me know where you are tuning in from. I am actually located in the middle of Russia in the city of Yekaterinburg. Usually it's pretty cold here but May is just the best month of the year, so if you are thinking of coming here one day it's better to choose May and you'll definitely love it.
Watch the live session... [Read more]
